Sliding door stabilizer

Abstract

A stabilizer for firmly holding a sliding door of an automotive vehicle in a closed position. The stabilizer has a female part adapted to be secured to the “B” pillar of the vehicle and a male part adapted to be secured to the door. The female part has a socket portion to receive a projection on the male part. The socket portion is in the form of a pocket having spaced confronting side walls and a bottom wall. Each side wall has spaced slots extending from the opening of the pocket toward the bottom wall. Ribs of an elastomeric material are bonded in the slots and press against the projection on the male part when the door is closed and the projection enters the pocket.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A stabilizer for holding a sliding door of an automotive vehicle firmly closed against a vehicle pillar, comprising, 
       a female part having a socket portion, and  
       a male part having an outwardly projecting portion,  
       said socket portion being adapted to closely receive said projecting portion,  
       one of said parts being adapted to be secured to the door and the other of said parts being adapted to be secured to the pillar in positions such that the projecting portion of said male part enters the socket portion of the female part when the door is closed,  
       said socket portion having a plurality of ribs adapted to contact said projecting portion when said projecting portion enters the socket portion,  
       wherein the socket portion is in the form of a pocket defined by a wall having spaced apart slots, and said ribs fill said respective slots.  
     
     
       2. A stabilizer as defined in claim  1 , wherein said ribs have beads projecting into said pocket to contact said projecting portion. 
     
     
       3. A stabilizer as defined in claim  2 , wherein said ribs are made of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
       4. A stabilizer as defined in claim  2 , wherein said ribs are made of a compressible material bonded to side walls of the slots. 
     
     
       5. A stabilizer as defined in claim  2 , wherein said ribs are made of a compressible synthetic rubber bonded to side walls of the slots. 
     
     
       6. A stabilizer for holding a sliding door of an automotive vehicle firmly closed against a vehicle pillar, comprising, 
       a female part having a socket portion, and  
       a male part having an outwardly projecting portion,  
       said socket portion being adapted to closely receive said projecting portion,  
       one of said parts being adapted to be secured to the door and the other of said parts being adapted to be secured to the pillar in positions such that the projecting portion of said male part enters the socket portion of the female part when the door is closed,  
       said socket portion having a plurality of ribs adapted to contact said projecting portion when said projecting portion enters the socket portion,  
       wherein the socket portion is in the form a pocket having spaced confronting side walls, each of said side walls having spaced apart slots, and said ribs fill said respective slots, said ribs having beads projecting into said pocket to contact said projecting portion.  
     
     
       7. A stabilizer as defined in claim  6 , wherein the ribs in the slots of one of said side walls are staggered with respect to the ribs in the slots of the other of said side walls. 
     
     
       8. A stabilizer as defined in claim  7 , wherein said ribs are made of a compressible synthetic rubber bonded to side walls of the slots. 
     
     
       9. A stabilizer for holding a sliding door of an automotive vehicle firmly closed against a vehicle pillar, comprising, 
       a female part having a socket portion, and  
       a male part having an outwardly projecting portion,  
       said socket portion being adapted to closely receive said projecting portion,  
       one of said parts being adapted to be secured to the door and the other of said parts being adapted to be secured to the pillar in positions such that the projecting portion of said male part enters the socket portion of the female part when the door is closed,  
       said socket portion having a plurality of ribs adapted to contact said projecting portion when said projecting portion enters the socket portion,  
       wherein said female part has a mounting portion, said socket portion is in the form of a pocket having an opening through the mounting portion, said pocket having spaced confronting side walls and a bottom wall, each of said side walls having spaced apart elongated parallel slots extending from the pocket opening toward the bottom wall, said ribs filling said slots, said ribs having elongated beads extending lengthwise of said slots and projecting into said pocket to contact said projecting portion.  
     
     
       10. A stabilizer as defined in claim  9 , wherein the ribs in the slots of one of said side walls are staggered with respect to the ribs in the slots of the other of said side walls. 
     
     
       11. A stabilizer as defined in claim  10 , wherein said slots extend entirely through said side walls so that said ribs are free to yield when contacted by the projecting portion of the male part. 
     
     
       12. A stabilizer as defined in claim  11 , wherein said ribs are made of a compressible synthetic rubber bonded to side walls of the slots. 
     
     
       13. A stabilizer as defined in claim  12 , wherein the mounting portion comprises a plate having spaced holes to receive mounting fasteners, a sealing layer covering a side of said plate and encircling said holes to seal against the fasteners, said sealing layer comprising a compressible elastomeric material.